Sunspots - Saturday April 6th 2018

Solar flux is 66 today and the sunspot number 0. A=9 and K=1.

10m FT8 today (Friday)

Once again I am monitoring 10m FT8 RX today. So far, only 2 stations spotted - a G and CT1FHW (1681km). I am staying on late in case the band opens again to South America as it did late yesterday. Conditions seem quite similar to yesterday and no better.

UPDATE 2125z:  South America again this evening on 10m FT8.

Rally

8 APRIL 2018 : RIPON & DISTRICT ARS RALLY AND SURPLUS EQUIPMENT SALE

Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 2PT. Doors open to public at 10am. For enquiries please email David Cutter, G3UNA at rally@ripon.org.uk [http://www.ripon.org.uk/content/rally-2018].

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Yesterday - NOT amateur radio

This is a collage of yesterday. We had something quite rare - sunshine!

6m in the Es season

We are rapidly approaching the Es season, bringing alive 10m and 6m and to a lesser extent 4m and 2m with DX up to about 2000km.

Frequently the distances are much further, bringing into range some true exotic DX on 6m.

This year we also have FT8, which is already proving its value as a DX mode. I shall probably be monitoring 6m FT8 RX this season. I suspect 6m will be "open" far more often than we expect!

10m FT8 yesterday

Quite late (after 9pm UK clock time) 10m FT8 opened to South America with lots of stations spotted. I was surprised, as conditions on paper were dire.

10m often opens N-S and FT8 finds the briefest openings now.

Sunspots - Friday April 6th 2018

Solar flux is 66 (very low) today and the sunspot number 0. A=9 and K=1.

Grass cutting - NOT amateur radio

It has been too wet and cold to cut the grass, but today felt like spring. We have a blue sky and it actually felt like spring for the first time! I managed to cut the front and back lawns this afternoon and even had a beer in the garden afterwards in my shirt sleeves.

Spring? - NOT amateur radio

Today our sky is blue. What a change.  We have had a long winter and, until today, no real spring: winter seems to have gone on for ever. My son planted some daffodils back in the autumn. These (see photo) are now well out next to our shed.

Amateur radio from the Moon?

Southgate News carried a report about 2 Chinese satellites due for lunar orbits in June. These will transmit amateur radio data on 70cms and 13cms.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/april/dslwp-lunar-satellites-will%20transmit-wsjt-jt4g-mode.htm#.WsXni0xFzIU

More OFCOM crappery

You will be amazed to hear from OFCOM that the first stage of their microwave spectrum auction has been completed. I guess this keeps the children off the streets and reporting this beats doing real work (for which a knowledge of RF is needed).

Sadly, all that seems to matter these days is money: everything else seems not to matter.

See http://ofcom.cmail19.com/t/ViewEmail/i/D93ACA184E8C41FF2540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

10m FT8

Despite the poor prospects for 10m, I am on 10m FT8 RX today, ever hopeful. As yet, nothing spotted.

UPDATE 1256z:  Just G4HZW (210km) and G4CJC (74km) spotted so far on 10m FT8 RX. I suspect these come in by tropo.  In flat conditions I could usually work quite distant Gs  with 10W SSB on 10m. With FT8, both these stations are within range.

UPDATE 1506z: Just 3 Gs spotted on 10m FT8 RX today. Not that surprising.

Sunspots - Thursday April 5th 2018

Solar flux remains at 67 with the sunspot number still zero. A=5 and K=2. Poor!

15m QRP

Way back in 1984 I designed and built the Pipit 15m 800mW CW transceiver. For months it was the only rig I used. Some good DX was worked. It was written up in GQRP SPRAT in the days before PCs! Years later the box was used for something else. Taking it apart is now regrettable.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/15m_pipit

Virgin Media - NOT amateur radio

A friend of mine recommended the new V6 TIVO box. So, I ordered one which arrived today with a new hub, all free.

Installing it was easy, but there is a fault: every few seconds the signal on the TV seems to cut out. I never had this problem on the old box. Yes, I reset the hub and the V6 TIVO, but the issue remains.

Internet broadband seems faster and seems faultless. VM is sending out an engineer on Friday morning. Let's hope they fix it as VM is unusable on TV currently.

Keen photographer - NOT amateur radio

Our son is a keen photographer. This is him in our garden on March 26th. The sun must have made a brief appearance! He came up for a few days with his family.

2m FT8 RX

This is the mode I have used since breakfast.

So far (at 0912z) 6 unique stations in 4 countries with best DX PD0HIM (452km).

UPDATE 0948z: Now  8 uniques in 5 countries with best DX GM4JJJ (489km).

UPDATE 1327z: Now 21 uniques in 6 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1920z: Now 37 uniques in 8 countries today on 2m FT8 RX. DK1VC (503km) is the best DX.

Heathkit Twoer and similar rigs

Back in the 1960s I always wanted a Heathkit Twoer 2m AM transceiver. I even bought the manual, although I never did get a rig.

The RX was a super-regen, which was just about OK in the early 1960s on 2m as activity was low. These days, there is very little AM on the band, sadly, and the poor selectivity would almost certainly be a real limitation.

There was just something about the "style" that appealed. Even now, I still like the "lunchbox" look. From a historical viewpoint, these are interesting. They also did versions for 11m,10m and 6m

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/lunchbox

Sunspots - Wednesday April 4th 2018

Solar flux is 67 (low) and the sunspot number zero (it can't get any lower!). A=4 and K=0.

472kHz

Later this evening, I'll probably try 472kHz WSPR RX again.

Before next season I really ought to improve my antenna and RX sensitivity. My antennas are basically poor at MF and I know I can do so much better.

My major problem is I need physical help these days as I am not as fit as I once was. But, as they say in Yorkshire, " mustn't grumble".  😊

Jazz pianist at work - NOT amateur radio

Our son is a professional jazz pianist. He stayed last night as his family is in France with the French parents/grandparents. Here he is preparing for a jazz workshop next week in Oxford.

Ideas website - NOT amateur radio

This website was found by accident. It has some interesting videos. It is worth checking out.

See https://www.bbc.com/ideas/

2m UKAC activity contest tonight

Every month, the RSGB organises a 2m (144MHz) activity contest running for 2.5 hours starting at 8pm UK clock time (1900z). The 2m leg is always on the first Tuesday of each month. Normally I am on for about 30-60 minutes because of my poor voice. I run 5W to my big-wheel omnidirectional antenna. My best DX is usually about 200km. These are fun contests with good SSB activity levels.

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?year=2018&contest=2muka

For the first time, I stayed on less than 30 minutes, not because of my voice, but because I was working the same stations and I wanted to get back to FT8 on 2m. Some might say this is sad.

In the end I just worked 3 SSB 2m stations, although I could have worked many more had I stayed around. Best DX was G4CLA (105km).

Concert reminder - NOT amateur radio

A reminder that my wife's concert is in Cambridge this Saturday. The acoustics in this venue are very good too. Tickets are available on the door.

Indian Time Signals

Southgate News reports that India in to use LW to broadcast time signals across the nation.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/april/india-to-employ-long-wave-radio-technology.htm#.WsNDyUxFzIU

2m FT8 RX

At the moment 9 unique stations spotted today in 4 countries with best DX PD3HIM (452km).

UPDATE 1020z: Now 14 uniques in 5 countries on 2m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1328z: Now 24 uniques in 5 countries today on 2m FT8.

UPDATE 1426z: Now 27 uniques in 6 countries. This really is an amazing mode. Best DX is currently DL6YBF (471km).

The photo shows the 2m FT8 spots today up to 1514z. Don't forget, this is just with an omnidirectional antenna in FLAT conditions.

UPDATE 1615z:  Now 35 uniques in 6 countries.

UPDATE 2050z: After about 30 minutes on the 2m UKAC, I returned to 2m FT8 RX. Best DX recently was G4WAC (149km) in Birmingham. Today, in all, 50 uniques in 6 countries on 2m FT8 RX. Best DX was DL0HOL (619km).

Sunspots - Tuesday April 3rd 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the sunspot number still zero. A=5 and K=2.

2m FT8

After going on the East Cambs 2m FM net, I went on 2m FT8. After a very brief TX period (2.5W to my omni antenna) with best DX G4RRA (334km) in Devon, I went on 2m FT8 RX only. So far 18 unique stations in 4 countries in the last 2 hours with best DX PD3HIM (452km).

UPDATE 2050z: Now 20 uniques in 5 countries in the last few hours.

ICOM IC7300

Probably the best commercial radio available to radio amateurs currently is the IC7300. However, its price is still set by market forces: it could still be profitable at a much lower selling price.

Whether prices drop depends on many factors, but there is no doubt that the price is what it is largely because people are still prepared to buy at this price. If the dealers can still make a killing why would they reduce prices? Also, currently there is no real competition.

See https://icomuk.co.uk/IC-7300/Amateur_Radio_Ham_Base_Stations

Pound jump v. Euro: why? - NOT amateur radio

Mid afternoon the value of the UK Pound suddenly jumped against the Euro. Anyone know why? In the UK this is a public holiday, so it was probably something in the EU.

CQ-DATV 58 mag online

I've mentioned before that lots of magazines are available on the internet. If you prefer you may download copies. Among these is the latest copy of CQ-DATV although back issues are also available at the same site.

See https://issuu.com/cq-datv/docs/cq-datv58

Local weather forecasts - NOT amateur radio

The UK weather Met Office forecasts feature a lot in my "grumpy old man" posts.

Having been on a 20 week U3A course on "Weather and Climate" I know it is hard. But honestly!!

Just an HOUR ago the Met Office reckoned it was dry here all afternoon and evening with a 10% chance of precipitation. Now they are saying light showers all afternoon. Well, actually they probably now say snow or thunder as I've not looked for 10 minutes.😖

Now open - NOT amateur radio

Our local museum and windmill reopened yesterday until the end of October. It is very good place to visit and one of the best local museums in the UK, and we live next door! This was the view from our lounge earlier today.

See http://www.burwellmuseum.org.uk/

10m FT8

It appears I am being hopeful!

Since breakfast I have been on 10m FT8, mostly RX. A couple of TX periods calling CQ (2.5W) brought no reports. At the moment, I have not spotted a single station on the band.

UPDATE 1020z: Still nothing.

UPDATE 1120z: F1VEO (594km) in Brittany spotted on 10m FT8 RX at -8dB S/N. So there is some life!

UPDATE 1405z: Now a couple of Gs spotted making 3 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX so far today.

UPDATE 1421z: Real DX!  D41CV (4518km) in the Cape Verde Islands now spotted.

UPDATE 1552z: 6 stations spotted so far on 10m FT8 4 Gs, 1 F and 1 D41.

Returning migrant birds - NOT amateur radio

It may be snowing in some parts of the UK, but the birds are flying back from Africa. Don't tell them or they might go back!

Every day now it seems, swallows, house martins and sand martins are reported in Devon. Even at Wicken Fen, just a few miles from here, we had a swallow reported last Saturday!

The earliest I have seen an swallow in East Anglia is April 7th. Usually the majority arrive mid April. At least they are being seen again. My heart always lifts seeing the first swallow of the year up here.

One of the memories of my dad is him telling me when he spotted the first returning house martin. He died in 1987.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swallow

Sunspots - Monday April 2nd 2018

Solar flux is 68 and the sunspot number zero. A=5 and K=2.

Solar data for March now available

The solar data now includes March. It has just been released.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/

Hacker? - NOT amateur radio

Odd how some of my blogs suddenly have "amazing" posts and simultaneously I get lots of new comments and they are all just the same with the same links!

The last lot were clearly trying to drum up traffic for a blog. All these comments have now been deleted.

If you see any I missed tell me. I will not have spam comments!! Some people (or bots) really do try.

March 2018 solar data awaited

A few days into the month, I usually get the solar data for the last month. It is only the first of the month, so this data is not yet available. In February, there was a very slight improvement although the average is that we are still on the way down to the next solar minimum.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/

QSY to 2m FT8

Well, my brief time on 70cm FT8 proved unsuccessful with nothing at all spotted, so I have QSYed to 2m FT8 and met with immediate success. My very brief CQ was copied by 4 stations with F1OIL (185km) as the best DX. In addition, a couple of stations were spotted on RX. I am now RX only on 2m FT8.

UPDATE 1626z: So far this afternoon on 2m FT8 RX, 28 unique stations spotted in 6 countries.

UPDATE 1722z: Now 36 uniques in 6 countries with best RX DX DL0HOL (619km).

UPDATE 1930z: Now 54 uniques in 6 countres, so far on 2n FT8 RX today.